Volunteer With us – help us reach 100 Volunteers.

NOTTS PRIDE 2025: HELP US REACH 100 VOLUNTEERS

By Craig Martin, co-chair at Nottingham Pride

I started volunteering for Notts Pride back in 2012 after I struggled with accessing the community. I wanted to understand this world and figure out my place here, which Notts Pride definitely helped with.

The first Pride in Nottingham – ‘Pink Lace’ – was held in 1997. Since then, it’s gone from strength to strength, with around 11,000 people attending the marches and festivities, and people from artists to counsellors getting involved.

The event brings our community together, and is an opportunity to raise awareness about inequalities. One of our key missions is to make these marches accessible and celebrate LGBTQ+ diversity in Nottinghamshire.

Pride 2025  

We’re still buzzing from last year’s event, which started at Sneinton Market. We organised live performances from artists including Drag Race UK’s Tia Kofi, speeches from council members, market stalls, family-friendly activities and a vibrant street party in Hockley.

This year’s event will be bigger and better than ever.

Location: Sneinton Market

Date: 26 July 2025

Time: 12pm onwards

Why we need you

Notts Pride is run entirely by volunteers. By lending your time and skills, we can carry on running Pride and give a voice to our community.

We’re aiming for around 100 volunteers to help organise the event and support us both on the day and behind the scenes. Whether you’re a student, part of the community or simply support the cause, there are lots of ways you could help.

“We’ve had amazing support from existing volunteers and the local community, which has been invaluable. It’s powerful hearing everyone’s motivations for getting involved. As a volunteer, you’ll be a part of something historical – and a global movement – helping ensure our voices are heard.”

Roles available

In the lead up:

On the day:

We’re a small team of volunteers ourselves, and there’s a lot that goes into making Pride a success – we work with Nottingham City Council and the police, organising road closures, planning the march and liaising with our partners and sponsors.

How volunteering works

Our volunteers normally work in 4-5 hour shifts on the day, which gives plenty of time to enjoy the event! We do a briefing before the march and some volunteers come early to help us set up. We’ll let you know timings and roles available depending on your preferences.

You could also get involved with organising the march a few months before it takes place.

As a thank you, you’ll get a Notts Pride t-shirt and exclusive goodie bag, which in the past has included bits from Lush, Tesco and local organisations. The contents of this year’s goodie bags (and colour of our exclusive volunteer t-shirt), however, are top secret…

The future of Notts Pride

We’re always looking for ways to do more for our community and increase awareness/education around LGBTQ+.

Planning for the march is year-round because a lot goes into it – but our volunteer team has grown, enabling us to put on more events. We’re always open to chatting through any new ideas and suggestions, and if people want to lead on their own events, we’re more than happy to talk about it.

Visit our website for more information and start your volunteer journey.

“I SAW THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MARCHING WITH US AND I COULDN’T HAVE FELT PROUDER”

When he’s not putting a shift in at the Queen’s Medical Centre as an NHS doctor, Alex B-G is responsible for coordinating the volunteers at Notts Pride. We caught up with him to find out more.

Fun fact: Gave a handful of spare change to Boy George at four years old, while he was midway through a performance.

Why should people volunteer?

Volunteering at Notts Pride means you get to be involved in something progressive and exciting, while making a difference to the community. It’s really fun and you get to work with some awesome people.

What’s been your stand-out moment?

During my second year on the organising committee, I was asked to walk at the front of the march. I was nervous at first but then I saw thousands of people marching behind us, and with us, and I couldn’t have felt prouder. It really represented what we believe in: love and acceptance. I’ve personally never felt more proud of myself until that moment.

What are you most excited about this year?

Hopefully getting to decide the exclusive colour of the new volunteer t-shirts…

What does pride mean to you?

Pride means the world to me and what it stands for – to represent, educate and celebrate. I get involved each year and march for myself, for those that cannot get involved, weren’t able to and those who are no longer here.